Ian Randall Spu1;Geon's College, London, and International Baptist Theological Seminary (IBTS), Prague
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EuroJTh (2005) 14:1, 17-26 0960-2720 Evangelicals and European Integration Dr Ian Randall SpU1;geon's College, London, and International Baptist Theological Seminary (IBTS), Prague SUMMARY to link evangelicals across Europe. The new situation that This article surveys the way in which evangelicals, has been faced by evangelicals as a result of the end of through bodies such as the Evangelical Alliance, engaged communism and the enlargement of the EU is analysed. in pan-European co-operation in the nineteenth century. The article argues in favour of an important role for evan It explores the tensions that arose in the first half of the gelicals in the new Europe since they are well equipped twentieth century, but shows that since the end of the by virtue of their sense of common identity to reach out Second World War important initiatives have been taken across traditional divides. * * * * * * * * ZUAMMENFASUNG Europa zu verbinden. Die neue Situation, der si ch die Dieser Artikel untersucht die Wege, auf denen Evangeli Evangelikalen in der Folge des Endes des Kommunismus kale auf gesamteuropaischer Ebene im 19. lahrhundert und der EU-Erweiterung stellen mussten, wird analysiert. zusammenarbeiteten. Er beleuchtet die Spannungen, die Der Artikel pladiert fOr eine wichtige Rolle der Evangeli in der ersten Halfte des 20. lahrhunderts auftraten, aber kalen im neuen Europa, da sie aufgrund ihres Sinnes fOr zeigt dann, dass seit dem Ende des 2. Weltkriegs wich eine gemeinsame Identitat gut ausgerOstet sind, jenseits tige Initiativen ergriffen wurden, um Evangelikale in ganz traditioneller Trennungen zu wirken. * * * * * * * * RESUME initiatives importantes ont contribue a I'etablissement de liens entre les Evangeliques a travers l'Europe. L'auteur Cet essai retrace de quelle maniere les Evangeliques se offre une analyse de la situation nouvelle qui resulte de sont engages dans des cooperation pan-europeennes au la fin du communisme et de I'elargissement de l'Union XIXe siklej notamment dans des organisations comme Europeenne. 11 considere que les Evangeliques ont un l'Alliance Evangelique. II presente les tensions qui ont role important a jouer dans la nouvelle Europe dans la surgi dans la premiere moitie du XXe siecle, mais montre mesure ou leur sens d'une identite commune peut leur que, depuis la fin de la seconde guerre mondiale, des permettre de surmonter des barrieres traditionnelles. * * * * * * * * In this study I first of all give a brief historical over active in spreading the Christian message in word view, from the mid-nineteenth centulJ; of evangeli and deed. I I then analyze the recent past in Europe cal Christian co-operation across Europe, especially - the post-Communist period. I give particular as expressed in the Evangelical Alliance, which was attention to the Baptist contribution to the idea of formed in 1846. The Alliance brought together European integration, since the European Baptist individuals and groups from different countries Federation is a well-organised pan-European body who were committed to the evangelical distinctives within the wider evangelical communit): Evan of personal conversion, the authority of the Bible, gelicals are, however, to be found in all Protestant the message of the cross of Christ and a desire to be denominations. In Britain the denominational EuroJTh 14:1 • 17 • IAN RANDALL • affiliation of those evangelicals who worked most Christian bodies, but neither did he wish denomi closely together in the nineteenth century was national features to be exalted above the beliefs typically Anglican, Baptist, Congregational, Pres that all Christian held in common. Two years later byterian and Methodist. All had been affected by Schaff indicated more fully his real priorities. He the evangelical revivals of the eighteenth century urged the cultivation of 'a truly evangelical, catho across Europe and North America and were part lic spirit' towards all Christians - 'all who love our 2 of a growing, influential movement. Pentecostal Lord Jesus Christ' as he put it - of whatever creed. and charismatic groups have typically affiliated to It was not that Schaff wanted to give up the creeds Evangelical Alliances in more recent years. The of the Church. Indeed he spoke of an 'ecumenical issue of European integration has been brought to the forefront of the thinking of many European consensus' being expressed in the Apostles' and the evangelicals through the enlargement of the Euro Nicene Creeds. Rather he wished for liberality of pean Union and this is an issue which has received spirit. 'We must subordinate denominationalism', considerable attention from the European Evan he argued, 'to catholicity, and catholicity to our gelical Alliance. general Christianity'.? On several occasions, Schaff expounded his dream of a universal Church that brought together Protestantism, Orthodoxy and Europe and Evangelical Alliance Catholicism.8 beginnings During the nineteenth and early twentieth cen There was a distinct European dimension tury national Evangelical Alliances across Europe present from the time of the formation of Evan worked together on several issues, such as evange gelical Alliance in London in 1846. Of the 922 lism, education and religious freedom. Many evan attendees at the inaugural conference, 84% came gelicals were not part of the State churches in their from Britain, 8% from the United States, 7% countries and so they felt deeply about the needs of from Continental Europe and the rest from other 3 religious minorities. Also, the fact of not belonging areas of the world. Continental European leaders to state churches encouraged them to reach out in included Adolphe Monod, a university theological fellowship across national boundaries. A number Professor in France, August Tholuck, Professor at Halle University, Germany, and Johann Oncken, of Evangelical Alliance conferences were held in the powerful leader of the German Baptists.4 Bap different cities in Europe in the second half of the tists were emerging and in some instances expand nineteenth century, each attracting several thou ing rapidly in Europe, often drawing from existing sand people. In Copenhagen, in 1884, the King renewal movements. 5 The French representatives and Queen of Denmark attended an Alliance con present in London committed themselves to form ference and E. B. Underhill, secretary of the Baptist ing a branch of the Alliance in France, Belgium and Missionary Society, praised the protection given by French-speaking Switzerland. Branches of the Alli a former king of Denmark to William Carey's Bap ance were also formed in North and South Ger tist mission in the Danish settlement of Serampore, many. In Spain, many of the leading evangelicals India.9 The First World War hindered pan-Euro within ·the Protestant community united in form pean evangelical fellowship, since German-British ing an Alliance. An Alliance was formed in Con evangelical co-operation, which had been close, stantinople, Turkey, in 1855. In Bulgaria, Baptists, was dealt a heavy blow: Although some evangelicals Methodists and Congregationalists came together were pacifists, many supported their own country's to found an Alliance in 1867. These are examples troopS.1O In late 1914 Henry Martyn Gooch, the of the evangelical expansion that was taking place. General Secretary of the British Evangelical Alli Probably the most creative thinker within the Evangelical Alliance movement of this early period ance, noted that Evangelical Alliance leaders in was Philip Schaff. The roots of Schaff's spiritual Germany were writing and speaking in favour of ity were in German pietism. Schaff emphasised the German military cause. He made it clear that he in 1872 that the kind of evangelical union he had respected their devotion to Christ and their honest in view was 'as far removed from indifference to convictions, and his conclusion was that they did denominational distinctives as from sectarian big not know the full story of the events that led up otry and exclusiveness'.6 In other words, he did not to the war. Gooch warned against believing evil of wiih to play down the unique traditions of different German brothers in Christ. 11 18· EuroJTh 14:1 • Evangelicals and European Integration • Tensions in Europe search for peace. 16 This period saw great interest in Following the end of the First World War, evangeli the possibility that countries in Europe would see cals tried to reach out in fellowship across Europe spiritual renewal and greater unity between diverse and to resolve the tensions created by war. Devel nations. These hopes were difficult to fulfil. opments in Russia from the Revolution onwards The rise of Nazi power, the treatment of Bap heightened Evangelical Alliance socio-politi tists in Eastern Europe and then the Second World cal concerns. In 1923 the British Alliance asked War constituted further massive set-backs to the whether the time had come for a 'step towards instinctive pan-Europeanism of many evangeli closer Christian Unity which would save England cals. Some evangelicals wanted to stress continu and the world from the tragedy of Russia under a ing solidarity with German evangelicals, who were Bolshevist Government'.12 It was not obvious how mostly Lutherans and Baptists. This was the stance this closer unity would be achieved, but there was of committed Europeans such as Henry Martyn a clear desire to come together against the common Gooch and the British Baptist leader, J. H. Rush brooke, foe of atheism.